Catalyst

ENDORSING THE U.S. MAYORS CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has previously
adopted strong policy resolutions calling for cities,
communities and the federal government to take actions
to reduce global warming pollution; and

WHEREAS, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), the international community’s most
respected assemblage of scientists, has found that
climate disruption is a reality and that human
activities are largely responsible for increasing
concentrations of global warming pollution; and

WHEREAS, recent, well-documented impacts of climate
disruption include average global sea level increases
of four to eight inches during the 20th century; a 40
percent decline in Arctic sea-ice thickness; and nine
of the ten hottest years on record occurring in the
past decade; and

WHEREAS, climate disruption of the magnitude now
predicted by the scientific community will cause
extremely costly disruption of human and natural
systems throughout the world including: increased risk
of floods or droughts; sea-level rises that interact
with coastal storms to erode beaches, inundate land,
and damage structures; more frequent and extreme heat
waves; more frequent and greater concentrations of
smog; and

WHEREAS, on February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol, an
international agreement to address climate disruption,
went into effect in the 141 countries that have
ratified it to date; 38 of those countries are now
legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on
average 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America, with less than
five percent of the world’s population, is responsible
for producing approximately 25 percent of the world’s
global warming pollutants; and

WHEREAS, the Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction target
for the U.S. would have been 7 percent below 1990
levels by 2012; and

WHEREAS, many leading US companies that have adopted
greenhouse gas reduction programs to demonstrate
corporate social responsibility have also publicly
expressed preference for the US to adopt precise and
mandatory emissions targets and timetables as a means
by which to remain competitive in the international
marketplace, to mitigate financial risk and to promote
sound investment decisions; and

WHEREAS, state and local governments throughout the
United States are adopting emission reduction targets
and programs and that this leadership is bipartisan,
coming from Republican and Democratic governors and
mayors alike; and

WHEREAS, many cities throughout the nation, both large
and small, are reducing global warming pollutants
through programs that provide economic and quality of
life benefits such as reduced energy bills, green
space preservation, air quality improvements, reduced
traffic congestion, improved transportation choices,
and economic development and job creation through
energy conservation and new energy technologies; and

WHEREAS, mayors from around the nation have signed the
U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement which, as
amended at the 73rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors
meeting, reads:

The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

A. We urge the federal government and state
governments to enact policies and programs to meet
or beat the target of reducing global warming
pollution levels to 7 percent below 1990 levels by
2012, including efforts to: reduce the United
States’ dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate
the development of clean, economical energy
resources and fuel-efficient technologies such as
conservation, methane recovery for energy
generation, waste to energy, wind and solar
energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and
biofuels;

B. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan
greenhouse gas reduction legislation that includes

1) clear timetables and emissions limits and 2) a
flexible, market-based system of tradable
allowances among emitting industries; and

C. We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol
targets for reducing global warming pollution by
taking actions in our own operations and
communities such as:

1. Inventory global warming emissions in City
operations and in the community, set reduction
targets and create an action plan.
2. Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce
sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact,
walkable urban communities;
3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle
trails, commute trip reduction programs,
incentives for car pooling and public transit;
4. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy
by, for example, investing in “green tags”,
advocating for the development of renewable
energy resources, recovering landfill methane
for energy production, and supporting the use of
waste to energy technology;
5. Make energy efficiency a priority through
building code improvements, retrofitting city
facilities with energy efficient lighting and
urging employees to conserve energy and save
money;
6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment and
appliances for City use;
7. Practice and promote sustainable building
practices using the U.S. Green Building
Council's LEED program or a similar system;
8. Increase the average fuel efficiency of
municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of
vehicles; launch an employee education program
including anti-idling messages; convert diesel
vehicles to bio-diesel;
9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump
efficiency in water and wastewater systems;
recover wastewater treatment methane for energy
production;
10. Increase recycling rates in City operations and
in the community;
11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree
planting to increase shading and to absorb CO2;
and
12. Help educate the public, schools, other
jurisdictions, professional associations,
business and industry about reducing global
warming pollution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S.
Conference of Mayors endorses the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement as amended by the 73rd annual U.S.
Conference of Mayors meeting and urges mayors from
around the nation to join this effort.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The U.S. Conference of Mayors
will work in conjunction with ICLEI Local Governments
for Sustainability and other appropriate organizations
to track progress and implementation of the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement as amended by the
73rd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting.

Catalyst

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Michigan cities with campaigns as of February 2007

U.S Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement

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